Fair board discusses renovations to fairgrounds

The Great Northern Fair Board had several ideas during its monthly meeting Tuesday where the funds should be allocated should a proposed mill levy to fund the fairgrounds pass this election cycle.

Board Chair Tyler Smith said he and Vice Chair Scott Doney would be at the Lions Club Thursday night to talk about support for the levy. Smith also mentioned he would try to speak to the Pachyderms again.

The majority of the board agreed that upgrades needed to be done to the arena, with the goal of building a new grandstand, and to the Bigger, Better Barn. Other suggestions were the area between the food booths and commercial area, the road all the way around the midway, the horse pavilion and bathrooms.

Smith said he would prefer to pave some or all of the roads in the midway and gravelling the road south of the Bigger, Better Barn.

“Every time it rains, that is a disaster,” Smith added.

“We really lucked out for our Legends for Lights that weekend,” Doney added. “It was a good weekend, but if we would have any moisture everybody knows that place gets to be a wreck.”

Smith also said the fire hydrant inside the Bigger, Better Barn needs a new pipe. Smith added the City of Havre doesn’t want people who are not experienced with working on fire hydrants, working on it. There is a waterline that is vital to a lot of businesses and would cause major damage if it was damaged, Smith said.

“If something happens to that line,” Smith said. “The line goes from the transportation department, through the fairgrounds, through Murphy’s, the hill and the mall and it doesn’t loop back. So if something happened to that, valves couldn’t be shut off, there’d be a lot of people that would be angry and out of water.”

Smith said the improvement would be better for everyone who is at the barn because anyone could use it. He added the approximate cost for the job would be around $5,000.

The board announced it is looking for a contractor and contractors can contact board member Ray Kallenberger.

The Great Northern caboose on the fairgrounds will have a new use Smith added. He said he and board member Chelby Gooch, had an idea to transform the caboose into a cabin and he would pair it with the campground so guests can stay there.

Smith added the caboose would need to be upgraded with modern amenities before it could be used, but he sees it at a possible tourist attraction.

“I would think it’s unique enough that it could be a revenue stream,” Smith said. “We would probably get in spades out of it what we put into it.”

Gooch said she wanted to introduce some new contracts for use. One contract would be a facilities contract for events with 200 or more people. Gooch said it would be for events such as the Indian Relay or demolition derbies.

The other contract is for use of the midway, she said.

Smith added these contracts are strictly for large events when the entire grounds are used.